Weft-replenishing mechanism



Dec. 28, 1926. 1,612,099

J. R. .COPLAND |:r AL

WEFT REPLENI SHI NG' MECHANI 5M Filed Feb." 16, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 28, 1926. 1,612,099

J. R. COPLAND ET AL WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM Filed Fep. 16, 1925 Sneets-Sheei z Patented Dec. 23, l92fi.

JAMES R. COPLAND AND IRA C. VIENTZ, E3 DANVILLE, VIRG'IT'HA, ASSIG'NOREB T0 CROMPTON 8t KNOW'LES LOUD/i. WOBKES, 0F W'GRGESTER, IiZASFaACHUSETTS, A CDB IPORATIQN OF MASSACHUSETTS.

WEFT-EEPLENISHING MECHANISM.

Application filed February 16, 1923. Serial No. 619,3?0a

This invention relates to a loom of the' weft replenishing type in which a change of weft carriers 1s accomplished by the action of a so-called transferrer which e ects an exhausted weft carrier from the active shuttle and inserts a fresh weft carrier in place thereof. Our invention is further limited to that class of weft replenishing looms in which weft detecting mechanism is used to indicate approaching exhaustion of the weft carrier in the active shuttle.

In such looms, it is essential that the detecting mechanism be removed from operative position on the occasion of weft carrier transfer, and it is the general object of our invention to provide a new and improved construction by which such removal will be accomplished in an exceedingly s im ple and reliable manner.

In the preferred form of our invention we secure the weft detecting devices in fixed but adjustable angular relation to the transferrer, so that downward operative movement of the transferrer will simultaneously swing the detecting devices to inoperative position, out of the path of the lay and shuttle.

Our invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our improved mechanism Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, look ing in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts in a different position;

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views of the weft detecting mechanism, in different positions, looking in the direction of the arrow 4. in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan View of the de tector slide.

Referring to the drawings, we have shown a portion of a magazine frame 10 mounted on a loom frame 11 and having a stud 12 secured in fixed position therein and forming a support for a weft carrier transferrer 13. The transferrer is normally maintained in raised position, by a coil spring 14 (Fi 2) having one end fixed in a collar 15 secured on the end of the stud 12. The transferrer remains in raised position until a change of weft carriers is indicated by the detecting mechanism, after which the transferrer is moved rapidly downward. to substitute a fresh weft carrier for the exhausted carrier in the active shuttle. The mechanism for actuating the transferrer is of the usual commercial type and is not shown here in, the parts thus far described forming; in themselves no part of our present invention. A. full disclosure of suitable actuating mechanism is found in the prior patent to E. H. Ryon No. 1,030,748, issued June 25, 1912.

A. weft detector support 16 is mounted on a stud 17 secured for angular adjustment in the lower end of arms 18 extending downwardly from the transfcrrer 13. The outer end of the support 16 is connected by a link or brace 19 to a bracket 20 secured to the top of the transferrer 13. The link 19 is threaded and extends through a slot in the bracket 20 and a pair of nuts 21 are threaded on the link and engage the opposite faces of the bracket 20. The angle which the support 16 makes with the arms 18 of the transferrer may be varied by adjusting the link 19 in the bracket 20, the parts being firmly held in adjusted position by tightening the nuts 21.

A detector slide 25 is mounted in the lower face of the support 16 and is held therein by plates 26 and screws 27 (Fig. 2). The slide 25 has a detecting member 28 pivoted 29 near the rear end of the slide and held in the normal position shown in Figs. 4 and 6 by a coil spring 30 and plunger 31. For full details of the construction and operation of the detector mechanism, reference is made to the prior patent of E. H. Ryon, No. 1,337 ,7 26, issued April 20, 1920.

At its forward end the slide 25 en 'ag 'es the l3 3 enlarged lower end of an arm 32 formed on as desired. A coil spring 39 on the shaft 33 normally holds the arm 32 in engagement with the slide 25.

The weft detector support 16 may be adjusted along the lay by varying the position of the stud 17 in the arms 18, the slot in the bracket 20 being provided to permit such adjustment.

A controlling pin or rod 40 (Fig. 1) is pivoted to the lower end of the arm 36 and extends through a vertical slot 41 in the path of a floating lever 42 intermittently oscillated by an actuating plunger 43. When the rod 40 is allowed to remain in rearward position, as shown in Fig. 1, the lever 42 will engage the rod as the lever is moved down ward and will turn upon the rod as a pivot, swinging downward the outer end of the lever which is connected by a link 44 to indicating mechanism not shown. For a further description of the construction and operation of the floating lever 42 and its as sociated indicating mechanism, reference is made to the prior patent to E. H. Ryon, No. 1,030,748, above noted.

Having described the construction of our improved weft replenishing mechanism, the method of operation thereof is as follows:

Under normal conditions, the tranferrer remains in the raised position shown in Fig. 1 and the detector slide 25 enters a slot 45 in the side of the shuttle S at each forward movement of the lay. The detecting member 28 engages the weft carrier IV and if a sufficient supply of weft remains thereon as indicated in Fig. 4, the member 28 is prevented by the weft from slipping along the weft carrier and the weft carrier accordingly forces the slide 25 forward, swinging the arms 32 and 36 and withdrawing the rod 40, thus rendering the transfer indicating mechanism inoperative.

' If, however. the weft on the weft carrier is substantially exhausted, as indicated at W in Fig. 5. the detecting member 28 will slip along the weft carrier W, turning on its pivot 29, and allowing the slide 25 to re main in its rearmost position. The rod 40 thus remains across the slot 41 and the lever 42 becomes operative to indicate a weft carrier transfer.

As the transferrer 13 thereafter moves downward to insert a fresh weft carrier W in the shuttle S, the weft detector support 16 is simultaneously swung downward and forward, thus moving the detector slide 25 and detecting member 28 out of the path of the shuttle S and the lay 46 on which it is supported. The parts are so timed that there is no possibility of the detector entering the shuttle box or being engaged-by the weft carrier V. as it is inserted in the shuttle. Upon the return of the transferrer to normal position, the weft detector also re turns to operative relation with the shuttle.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is 1. In a loom, weft carrier magazine, a transforrer normally maintained in raised inoperative position, means to actuate said transferrer only upon indication of transfer, and a weft detector mounted in fixed angular relation to said transferrer and movable as a unit therewith.

2. In a loom, a weft carrier magazine, a transferrer normally maintained in raised inoperative position, a weft detector mounted on said transferrer, and means to adjust and maintain a definite angular relation between said detector and said transferrer.

3. In a loom, a weft carrier magazine, a transferrer normally maintained in raised inoperative position, said transferrer being operative only upon indication of transfer, a weft detector support mounted in fixed angular relation to said transferrer, and a weft detector movable relative to said suport to enter the side of the shuttle and indicate the supply of weft in the active shuttle.

4. In a loom, atransferrer, a weft detector effective to engage a weft carrier through an opening in the side of the shuttle, and means to swing said detector downward and forward out of the path of the lay. shuttle and weft carrier simultaneously with downward movement of said transferrer.

5. In a loom, a weft carrier magazine, a transferrer normally maintained in raised inoperative position, a weft detector support mounted in fixed angular relation to said transferrer, and a weft detector movable relative to said support to indicate the supply of weft in the active shuttle, said detector and support being swung downward and forward to inoperative position out of the path of the shuttle and weft carrier upon downward operative movement of said transferrer.

6. In a loom, a weft carrier magazine, a transferrer normally maintained in raised inoperative position, a weft detector support pivoted at one end to said transferrer, an adjustable link connecting the outer end of said support to a fixed point on said transferrer, and a detector slidable in said support and effective to engage the weft carrier in the active shuttle through an opening in the side thereof.

7. In a loom having a single shuttle box at one end of the lay and a weft carrier magazine positioned at the single box end and having a transferrer, in combination, a weft detector positioned at the single box end and normally positioned in the plane of movement of the weft carrier in the active shuttle as the latter moves forward to position for Weft detection, and means to move the detector out of position for engagement by the weft on said carrier in the active shuttie by a motion transverse to said plane of movement and transverse to the path of movement of said Weft carrier While the single shuttle box remains in operative running position.

8. In a loom, a Weft carrier magazine, a transferrer normally maintained in raised position and lowered only at transfer, and

a Weft detector mounted on the transferrer and effective to engage the Weft on the active In testimony whereof We have hereunto 20 affixed our signatures.

JAMES R. GOPLAND. IRA C. WENTZ; 

